On July 12, 1790, the National Assembly passed the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, which subordinated the Roman Catholic Church to the state. This is because the revolutionaries saw the Church as an obstacle against their goal for the greater good, which was liberty, equality and fraternity. The authority the clergy held did not support their beliefs. They also thought that the Church drastically affected the economy, due to tithe collecting and the amount of land they kept from the people. The Constitution had altering requirements for the Church, for example, bishops and parish priests were to be elected, monastic vows were to be abolished, and various lower titles that many of the First Estate held in France were to be rid of as well. This constitution basically lessened the power of the clergy therefore, only a few people from the First Estate supported the new constitution and took the oath of loyalty to it. Many others, especially Pope Pius VI, actually condemned the constitution so the hope of having the Catholic Church support the French Revolution faded. However, even after the delay of the Constitution, King Louis XVI assented the Constitution, even when the Church was against it. Due to this, the followers of the Church and the King began to argue in terms of implementation and who was right. A schism formed, causing many of the Catholics to turn against the Revolution, making it even harder for the revolutionaries to enact change in a society that wanted liberty and equality.
Sources:
http://library.thinkquest.org/C006257/revolution/civil_const_clergy.shtml
http://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/111civil.html
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-facts/france-history/french-revolution-civil-constitution-of-the-clergy.htm
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Civil+Constitution+of+the+Clergy
Image: historywiz.com/civilconst-clergy.htm
Sources:
http://library.thinkquest.org/C006257/revolution/civil_const_clergy.shtml
http://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/111civil.html
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-facts/france-history/french-revolution-civil-constitution-of-the-clergy.htm
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Civil+Constitution+of+the+Clergy
Image: historywiz.com/civilconst-clergy.htm